Universe Share Discussion Threads

[dealit] 07/4/2014 08:06

Yes good set of results.

[boadicea] 07/4/2014 07:49

Results good - as expected - with the promise of further progress as the recent acquisitions are exploited to full potential.

I see the recognition of some deferred tax credits has begun.
Initial market reaction is always hard to predict but when any dust settles I feel it should be a penny or two higher within weeks.

[boadicea] 06/4/2014 14:03

loganair - The company cannot currently pay a dividend under UK company law as it has no distributable reserves. This can be corrected by getting court sanction to write off accumulated losses against capital reserves, usually the share premium account.

However, I think an early move in this direction is unlikely as there are nearly £16m of intangibles, mainly goodwill, padding out the balance sheet. Although a significant intangible element is not in itself unusual (or worrying) in a company of this type, the ratio of intangibles to reserves is rather high and would advisably be reduced somewhat over time imho. That said, the ratio of intangibles to their supporting profits is a more important factor in the short term.

A year or two of good cash generation would see things moving usefully in the right direction. A 'more likely than not' foreseeable profit situation could boost the balance sheet by recognition of tax credits. These enable tax on current profits to be offset against credits created from past losses. That would perhaps be an appropriate time to consider writing off the P&L deficit and commencing a sustainably progressive dividend policy.

Each step along this road should, as you suggest, lead to a few pennies on the share price

[loganair] 06/4/2014 12:49

I'm wondering considering Universe is vertually debt free and making a good profit when we're likely to see them paying a small dividend for all us long long suffering share holders???

I think when Universe starts paying a dividend again we'll see a sudden jump of a couple of pennies on to the share price.

[morwood] 05/4/2014 13:50

I am thinking this Tuesday. Hopefully some good news!

[boadicea] 03/4/2014 21:07

Not usually on a Friday, so I would pencil in 10th April as a a more likely guess.

[morwood] 03/4/2014 11:48

Yip. Hopefully some good news!

[cockerhoop] 02/4/2014 20:40

Final Results must be imminent - 4th April in 2012 & 2013.

[spud] 25/3/2014 20:24

And again. Over 700k bought in 2 blocks.spud

[spud] 25/3/2014 08:14

Yet more accumulation at the bell yesterday.spud

[pjhutchy] 19/3/2014 19:57

I fuelled up at morrisons on chalk farm road in Camden today to test out universe groups pay at pump system and the morrisons fuel points card managed by universe group. I have to say it was easy to use and I am a bit of a Luddite. I even saw some over 70s using the pay at pump function with ease. I am impressed by this and the last statement so will be buying some of these to tuck away for the long term. Similar to zytronic.

[pjhutchy] 18/3/2014 20:47

Looks like a decent company. I'm sure that petrol pumps will go self service across the board within the next decade the same as the supermarket checkouts. This company looks like its doing well and could really grow over the next decade

[morwood] 13/3/2014 18:34

Good news re Downing! Hopefully the share price will start to pick up again...

[spud] 13/3/2014 15:26

There's the reason for the buying yesterday & today - Downing one VCT increasing its holding to over 17%.Nice.spud

[goodapple] 13/3/2014 14:50

When are results?

[spud] 13/3/2014 08:05

Another large mop up closing buy of 404k. This definitely has some strong support at this level. Subject to positive results, I would expect it to bounce from this level.spud

[spud] 28/2/2014 13:39

Nice 215k buy this AM mopping up the impatient punters spillage.

spud

[thorne3] 16/1/2014 13:49

The forthcoming annual figures should reveal a strong recovery and focus attention on the business.With reasonable exposure in a market place increasingly starved of "value"10p should be achievable in the short term.The company will then have the currency to make suitable acquisitions and our new chief exec.will be able to prove his metal or otherwise.In the absence of suitable developments on this front the company itself will be acquired.One should not forget that the company is owned principally by institutions specialising in the small company growth sectors and they will be pressing for a disposal if the "goods" are not delivered.

[red army] 16/1/2014 13:13

Thanks David - very informative piece albeit in the past.

[loganair] 03/12/2013 09:18

After many years back into profit. Really kicking myself as not so long ago I was topping up at 1.65p and still had cash to spare in the bank.

[puku] 25/11/2013 12:45

felt it was still cheap after the reaction to below 7p, so topped up, averaging 4.9p. If they can generate reasonable profit from the extra £3m turnover then as Boadicea suggests 10p not too far away.

[boadicea] 04/11/2013 09:45

Looks like a cheap and compatible add-on.
I would want to look further into RST's apparent fall in turnover from 2012 to 2013 (2012 "Revenue" of £4.1m; 2013 "Turnover" estimate £3m). How significant is the distinction between turnover and revenue?
It does look as if RST may have been entering a period of some difficulty, hence the low price. In fact buying a turnover of £3m for a consideration of £150k is an absolute snip if the business is worth having at all.
With integration economies, the addition of £3m turnover should produce significantly more profit for UNG than it could have done for RST alone.

This then resolves into a question of trust in UNG management's ability to sniff out a bargain - so far looking rather good.... in which case my earlier suggestion of 18 months to make the 10p+ range could be considerably foreshortened.

[gallops] 04/11/2013 09:30

Market appears to be pleased with the RTS acquisition according to the share price increase

[red army] 04/11/2013 08:10

They seemed to have bought this one on the cheap going by the turnover and profit figures.